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It's not just our school education system that has entered the 'reformation era'. Universities across the country are on the verge of a sea change - annual exams will now be replaced by a semester and credit system.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has recommended some major reforms

It's not just our school education system that has entered the 'reformation era'. Universities across the country are on the verge of a sea change - annual exams will now be replaced by a semester and credit system.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has recommended some major reforms in higher education.

And now, with Delhi University (DU) shifting to the semester system from the coming academic session, the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry is hoping other reluctant universities will follow suit.

According to the UGC, 64 universities have so far agreed to adopt the new system. The commission funds 180 universities across India.

Though the ministry and the UGC have been urging universities to adopt the system for long, the recently enacted Central Universities Act 2009 - for the creation of new central universities - gave a thrust to it. According to the Act, all new central universities will have to follow the semester system.

The semester system will hopefully end the tried and tested formula of cramming up 'important topics' just in time for the annual exams. Exams will be more frequent and hence, nothing can be omitted as 'unimportant'. Along with the semester system, students will be awarded credits for the courses they choose. It will allow them to pursue diverse disciplines.

For example, studying economics with law or politics with philosophy.

Explaining why the government was reluctant to impose a deadline, HRD Mnister Kapil Sibal had recently said in Parliament: "We want to send out a message that we are committed to implementing the semester system. It is good for the student community. We want teachers to cooperate and embrace a system that will benefit the students."

But, he said, implementing the new system was a "difficult process" as universities were apprehensive of it affecting their autonomy.

The UGC had recommended the system in its XIth Plan. Since 2008, the commission chairman has written to all universities (central, state and deemed) at least thrice, urging them to implement it.

UGC secretary, R. C. Chauhan said: "We want to offer quality education. Universities will be given all help to set up the new system. Universities that implement it will get additional grants." He added: "Credit-based semester system is accepted worldwide. It ensures continuity of assessment unlike the present system where students simply cram the syllabi to pass the common university exams." The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Jawaharlal Nehru University have always followed the semester system. All engineering, technology and management streams also follow it. It is the arts/ humanities and commerce streams that are reluctant.

A senior HRD Ministry official said: "While new central universities will have to follow the semester system, existing universities have been shying away. It is the teaching community that is mainly opposing it. Students are going to benefit much from continuous and timely assessments." The ministry is happy that the DU has finally decided to adopt the semester system for its undergraduate courses as well. The university has been following the system in its postgraduate courses for some time now.

"What makes it more challenging for a massive institution like the DU is that it has a number of affiliated colleges. In such a scenario, following the semester system is going to be a massive exercise," the Ministry official said.

There has been considerable opposition to the semester system from the university's faculty federation.

The Ministry official said: "Some detractors have raised the autonomy bogey, making it very tough for us.

We want universities to willingly adopt it. We did think of linking it to fund allocation and release of grants, but decided against it. Universities could see it as an assault on their autonomy." DU vice- chancellor Deepak Pental said: "We hope to have our system ready by the end of this month. After that, we will take it to the academic council in March. It will be implemented when the new academic session starts in July." Some states such as Haryana have set the ball rolling for implementing the system. So is the case with Kerala.

Its higher education council has issued a directive in this regard to all state universities.

The HRD Ministry is hopeful that the semester system will be in place across the country by 2011-12.

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